To update Executive Committee on the progress made on the expansion and
refurbishment of Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and seek approval to enter into
related property and construction agreements.

Recommendations:

Executive Committee is asked to:
(a) note the report;
(b) approve the terms of the lease with RSNO;
(c) approve the revised maximum project budget of £17.224, inclusive of
central contingency and compensation;
(d) delegate authority to the Executive Director of Corporate Services, in
consultation with the City Treasurer, to award the construction contract
within the revised revised budget; and
(e) agree to suspend the call-in provision under Standing Order 29.

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 At its meeting February 2011, the Executive Committee was advised of the
Scottish Government’s funding offer to develop proposals for a new rehearsal
and performance wing for the RSNO within an extended Glasgow Royal
Concert Hall. Executive Committee agreed the Council’s capital contribution in
principle via the Buchanan Galleries TIF and approved the release of initial
funding to complete the design and tender issue (RIBA stage F).
1.2 Subsequent approvals have now been given in relation to the Buchanan
Galleries TIF by both the Council and the Scottish Government.
1.3 The new building will accommodate a new rehearsal/recital hall with a capacity
of approximately 600 seats, education spaces, practice rooms,
management/admin offices, foyer and circulation spaces, including dedicated
space for the RSNO. The building will continue to be owned by the Council and
operated by Glasgow Life. The RSNO will have a separate lease and a
management agreement with Glasgow Life.
1.4 The project has been tendered and this report updates Committee on the initial
tender returns and outlines the various agreements and approvals required to
allow the construction contract to be awarded.

Strip out works within the existing building are progressing over the next few months with piling etc being completed over the next few weeks. Work is on going in several shops within Buchanan galleries to facilitate this.

In that last render, have they actually gone to great effort to make the existing structures look dark, dingy and down right shite in order to give this "design" some kind of credibility? It certainly looks that way to me.

In that last render, have they actually gone to great effort to make the existing structures look dark, dingy and down right shite in order to give this "design" some kind of credibility? It certainly looks that way to me.

They were darker than that bestbud, ive photoshoped the contrast and brightness to make them a look a bit better, but an overall awfull presentation and design to say the least , its the councils own inhouse team that have done this proposal, i think they need to go back to refresh their occupation in presentation and design skills.

Was it not this construction that caused the fire in the Buchanan Galleries party wall a week or so ago? If so that might explain the slow crawl.

I think the fire had something to do with the construction site, but putting that apart, I don't think that is the reason for such poor progress on site since April ?.

Buchanan Galleries closed for the day in white smoke mystery

Buchanan Balleries has been closed for the day and hundreds of shoppers evacuated from the flagship city centre mall following reports of white smoke inside the building.

As of Friday evening around 30 firefighters were still inside the building using thermal imaging equipment to assess the damage caused by what the fire service described as a "deep-seated fire within the structure".

Police are diverting traffic around the area and officials from the council's building control department are also at the scene.

A number of other commercial properties on Sauchiehall Street have also been closed as a precaution, and concerns have been raised that the Galleries will not re-open in time for Saturday shopping.

There were no reports of injuries.

The fire was identified as having broken out in a wall cavity on the ground floor of the mall.

Fire alarms sent an automated signal to the fire service around 10.40am, with workers and shoppers being evacuated soon after.

One Galleries worker said: “We had been standing outside for two hours when the centre management took all the store managers aside. They were all escorted inside by fire officers to allow them to collect any handbags and personal belongings and to put till money in the safe.

“We’ve been told we won’t get back in today and possibly not tomorrow either. Some workers are going to work at other shopping centres or stores but a lot are being told to go home.”

A spokesman from Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said: “The centre was safely evacuated and crews investigated the source of the smoke.

“They identified a deep seated fire within the structure and began work to access and extinguish it.

Progress is slow due to design changes and Glasgow City Council. Construction issue information has only been released which is overdue and has a knock on effect. In addition you have the problems associated with construction and servicing an existing building/refurbishment.